Wolves Die Twice
by MementoMori115
Summary: "I can see it in your eyes; the shadow of Shura. Those who live by the blade are destined to inevitably die by the blade. But those who are unfortunate enough to survive, will eventually become consumed by their own lust for destruction. Without a reason to fight, you will simply fight for the sake of killing. Watch yourself Wolf, and make sure you don't forget your purpose."
1. Chapter 1

"Anshin'in here, standing in for author-san once again... I'm sure you can all see the train of thought that led to this. Hell, you're standing on the tracks with it barreling towards you with the horn blowing. But I digress.

Author-san wanted to at least put what he came up with out there and hopefully add more to it later. Keep in mind that this is an unfinished chapter, he just wants to see what the feedback will be.

This is based on the 'Return the Dragon' ending to Sekiro, so spoilers if you haven't gotten it yet. This also takes place under the pretense that Japan is actually part of the same world as Kuroinu, but not the same place as where Kaguya is from.

Annnnnnnnnnnd here's where I put the *EDIT*. Author-san managed to make this a complete chapter. He also gives thanks to Ph0enix17 for allowing him to use their line as a replacement for his original opening quote, seeing as how he thought his was crap by comparison."

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"_No matter if a wolf loses one of his limbs, he is still far superior to a mere dog..."_

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Pillars of smoke billowed into the sky as flames consumed the village. Cries of fear and pain echoed out as the inhabitants fled from the encroaching danger. They had been completely unprepared for an attack of this magnitude, and the innocent paid the price as a result.

His memories of the Hirata Estate surfaced once again from that fateful night... He didn't like that. Not one bit.

A large green-skinned beast that vaguely resembled the members of the Taro Troop, charged at him with its club held high. It lacked any form of technique or skill. Speed was there, but only for the final movement of the swing. Strength was all it relied upon to get the job done, to break through any defense with overwhelming force.

He stepped past its guard at the last moment, the club missing his head by a hairs breadth as he thrust his blade forward and plunged it deep into the monsters chest. The brute momentarily looked down in shock at the sword that had pierced its hide, before the man swung it outwards and disemboweled it. Blood and gore spilled out from the massive gash in its stomach, and the man flicked his wrist to remove some of the offal from his blade.

Walking past the soon to be corpse, he didn't even bother to stick around to watch it collapse to the ground. There were still many more left for him to kill.

His arm swung outward as he rushed forward, launching a spinning blade from the contraption in his left arm. The shuriken sailed through the air at high-speed, leaving behind a trail of blue-light as it smashed through the skull of a small, red creature. The damn things head practically exploded from the force of the impact, yet the blade continued on unabated as it found purchase in the gut of another of the larger brutes. He jumped at the monster and slashed from its right pectoral to its neck as he vaulted over it. A flaming arrow nearly caught him in the chest, but he grabbed it mid-flight and threw it back at the one who fired it. The ugly green bastard was now down one eye. Charging along the ground was some form of wolf that had grown twice as large as normal, its teeth slathered in blood and saliva as it barreled towards him. It lunged forward, but he leaped above it, landing on its back and stabbing it through the back of the skull.

Left in the mans wake was a path of carnage and death. To his back were only countless corpses of those who stood in his way. While the enemy and civilians all ran in the same direction, he was the only one to go the opposite.

Another several green-skins rounded the corner to oppose him. He flicked his wrist, causing an ax to shift along his prosthetic arm.

There were still many left for him to kill...

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It was early in the morning, and if not for the dark clouds overhead, the sun would have been visible. But instead of sunlight, Maia and her troops were greeted that morning by rumbling clouds and a torrential downpour. Their carts were already getting stuck in the mud, and the horses tire from having to gallop in the deep muck. Though even with these hindrances, they were forced to continue on towards their destination.

The village of Mertle was in dire need of aide. An orc war-band was reported moving in the direction of the settlement. If Maia and her troops didn't get there fast enough, then there wouldn't be a village left to save. She already had a feeling that it was too late. Still, she pushed onward as fast as possible, clinging to the hope that they would arrive before the enemy.

But as they drew near enough to see the village in the distance, it was clear that they had failed. Carrion birds circled overhead, searching for prime targets to scavenge from. The rudimentary stone wall that circled the village had all but collapsed, revealing the charred framework of homes that were one strong gust away from toppling over. Faint traces of smoke still managed to drift through the air from fires that had long since extinguished.

Maia's grip on the reigns to her horse began to strain the leather. Not only was she upset with the loss of life that occurred, but she was disappointed in her failure to prevent it.

Yet it seemed that not all hope was lost. As they got closer, they spotted a man who had hidden himself behind a makeshift lookout post. He had stood up and was now waving them over with all his might. Turning around, he cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted into the village.

"Help has arrived! It's the Mercenary Queen!"

Maia let out a sigh of relief. Some had survived the attack after all.

Upon entering the village perimeter, it became clear that both sides had taken heavy casualties, given the number of corpses that littered the streets. But seeing as how there were survivors, it meant that the entire enemy force had been wiped out. No way the orcs would've left anyone alive.

She noticed how the corpses of the citizens had been covered with blankets, no doubt because the survivors hadn't the time to bury them yet.

"What is the situation here?" she asked the lookout once she was close enough.

A look of sadness crossed his features as he recalled what the town had been through the night before. "It was absolute chaos ma'am. The orcs sought to raze the town, tossing oil urns at our infrastructure before setting it ablaze with fire arrows. The flames had thrown us all into disarray as they began to stalk the streets."

Maia's eyes glanced over the destruction around her. It was no exaggeration to say that the number of buildings that remained standing was much fewer than those which had burned down. It was highly unlikely that the town would ever recover from this.

"It must have been hard to survive such a thing." she mused somberly.

"Though I'm afraid we all would be dead if it weren't for that traveler." the man added as a faint smile formed on his lips. "Those green bastards didn't stand a chance."

"Traveler?" Maia remarked as she rose a brow. "Someone arrived to help?"

The man shook his head. "If only... No, he and his companion drifted into town earlier in the day, and just so happened to be present for the attack. You should have seen how he cut through those monsters."

Now Maia was intrigued. A single man managed to repel the entire assault? She would have to meet him personally. "Is there any chance that this man is still here?"

The lookout nodded as he pointed down the street. "Head to the church. It's the largest building still intact. That's where the majority of us survivors have settled down."

Bidding the man a farewell, Maia and her followers made their way down the street and towards the tall spire that marked the church. Even if the enemy was no longer a threat for them to deal with, they could still help out with the relief effort.

It was a sobering sight to see. The entire church thoroughfare had been converted into a makeshift campground. What few people who were already out and about had to wear hoods to protect them from the rain. Some of them bowed their heads in respect, as well as thanks for their arrival. Others simply sat in the rain with a vacant look in their eyes, still trying to process the tragedy they had survived.

"Damn. These people got hit hard." opined Carla, one of Maia's knights.

"Agreed. Which is why we need to put an end to this war as soon as possible." Maia spoke in agreement. "For now, I want you to take our supplies and help with the relief effort. We'll need every survivor to be capable of moving within the next couple days. Remaining in this ruined village is not an option for them."

"Aye. And what of you? Do you intend to seek out this Traveler?"

A faint smirk formed on Maia's lips. "I'm actually quite eager to meet whoever held off the enemies assault. He must be quite strong."

Climbing off her horse, Maia gestured for several of her knights to follow her as she headed for the church. The front of the building looked as if it had seen some punishment. If the citizens were taking cover in the place of worship during the attack, it only made sense that the enemy would target it. But fortunately the various defenses that were setup had held. Makeshift barricades constructed from wooden carts and boards, defensive barriers constructed from crudely made wooden spears to halt the enemies advance, and a lingering scent of oil from where they set fire to the ground to ward off attackers. It was a miracle that a town as poorly equipped as Mertle was able to put together even this much.

Knocking on the door to the church was unnecessary, as it was opened the moment Maia got within arms reach. A kindly nun was the one to greet her, her habit stained with blood in numerous locations, but none of it her own. No, the blood belonged to the people inside who were laid out on beds and pews while those who were in better health tended to their injuries.

"Ah, Lady Maia!" the woman remarked in surprise before bowing her head. "I welcome you to our church, but I'm afraid that we are not in the best of conditions to accommodate you, as I'm sure you are aware."

The red-head nodded in understanding. "No worries. We're the ones who are here to help you. There's plenty of supplies to share back with my men. Seeing as how the attack is already over, we won't be needing the extra."

"My humblest thanks. I'll inform the others right away. But is there anything I can help you with before I go?"

"I heard that some traveler was the one to hold off the majority of the attack. Know where he is?"

"Oh, yes. In the back rooms where the excess wounded are. He's the man in the orange coat."

"Thanks." Maia replied with a nod of the head.

Upon entering the rear of the church, the Mercenary Queen and her companions immediately spotted their target. His back was to them, but he was clearly the only one in the room who was wearing orange. He was currently aiding a girl who appeared to be in her mid-teens with setting an injured mans bone back into place. This room in particular was more crowded, but the occupants were not as grievously injured as in the main hall.

"Sir, I will need you to hold still while Wolf adjusts your leg. Can you do that?"

The girl was dressed in an outfit that was reminiscent of Kaguya's Shrine Maidens. But what was most noticeable was the bulge in her stomach. She was quite clearly pregnant.

"I-I think I can..." the injured man responded nervously.

The girl picked up a small towel and folded it in half before handing it to the man. "Here, bite down on this if the pain is too much."

Placing the cloth in his mouth, the man nodded towards the girl to signal he was ready.

"Wolf, if you will..."

"Hai." the man responded respectfully. Wolf then jerked the mans leg back into position, eliciting a muffled scream from the man.

"Good. I will begin wrapping the leg." the girl said as she picked up a makeshift splint. "It appears that we have guests, Wolf."

Maia had remained quiet for the duration of their entrance, not wanting to distract the duo from such a delicate procedure. Thankfully she was acknowledged quickly.

'Wolf' turned his body to face her, revealing the visage of a man whose life was naught but battle. His features were rugged and unkempt, a scar was drawn across his left eye, and there was something akin to a burn mark around the right side of his hairline. But the feature that stood out the most was his left arm. Or at least, the contraption that was there in place of it.

An odd-looking artificial limb comprised of bone, steel, and many more things that Maia couldn't even begin to properly understand. The man noticed how her gaze was holding on the faux-limb, and promptly turn his body to the side in order to hide it from view.

"Do you need something?" he asked neutrally. His voice was firm, yet monotone. Betraying nothing of his personality or otherwise.

The red-head nodded as she approached the man. "Was just looking for the man whose I must give thanks to for keeping this town standing. Me and my knights were sent out to intercept the enemy forces that attacked last night. I'm sorry that we didn't make it in time to help."

Wolf nodded as he shifted his attention back to the other injured. "Indeed."

There was an air of awkwardness (at least for Maia and company) at his equally blunt and brief answer.

"Err, so... What exactly are you doing here?"

"Tending to the injured." he responded as he moved on to the next patient. "The town is short on healers, and most of the supplies were either used up or lost in the fires. So we have to ration what we have to those who are in dire need of aid."

"Well, good news then! We brought plenty of-"

"I overheard your conversation with Sister Margaret. Your help will be much appreciated by the citizens." he interrupted as he began changing another patients bandages. "Is there anything else I can do for you? Otherwise I'd ask you to leave, unless you'd care to give us a hand."

Maia couldn't tell if the man was being rude on purpose, or if he was just concerned with tending to the wounded. Either way, it was starting to get annoying.

"Wolf, I believe our guests are curious as to the nature of our presence in this town, seeing as how they have divined the reason for its survival." the girl spoke softly.

Letting out a mental sigh of relief, Maia was glad to steer the conversation back on track. "Indeed. We are very grateful for your intervention. From what I hear, without your presence, this would have been a massacre."

"I was simply doing what I had to in order to ensure the survival of my master." the man replied vaguely. "I don't require your thanks. If fleeing the attack was an option at the time, then we would not have remained in order to defend it."

"I do not believe Lord Kuro would have condoned such an action." the girl chided in disagreement.

The man went silent, evidently shaken by the girls remark. Finishing up with his current patient, Wolf started walking away. "I shall go and help retrieve the supplies."

No one attempted to stop Wolf from leaving, not even the girl. Instead, she shook her head slightly with a weak smile. "If it is within reason, I ask that you excuse his rudeness. From what I learned during our time together, Wolf has never been the most sociable of people, and he rarely says more than what he feels is necessary."

Maia had to agree with that assessment. The man named Wolf was certainly of the calm, quiet type.

"But I digress." the girl added. "So, what exactly does one of the famous Princess Knights wish to ask of me?"

"I take it that what they say is true? That Wolf managed to defeat the majority of the attacking army?"

She nodded. "He is a very skilled warrior. Upon ensuring that my location at the time was secure, which happened to be this church, he hurried out to meet the enemy. I would not discount the efforts of the towns own defenders, but none of them could hope to equal Wolf in combat."

"I guess we'll have to take your word for it." Maia responded as she gestured for her entourage to make themselves busy. "But tell me miss..."

The girl shook her head as her gaze dropped for a moment. "My name was lost during the ceremony, and the monks never saw it fit to bestow upon me a new one. Understandable, as I was the only survivor."

The mercenary woman wasn't really sure what the girl was talking about, but it must have been something important.

"For the sake of convenience, you may call me Shirohime."

"Well then, miss Shirohime, what brings you and your escort to this border village?"

Shirohime's hands drifted down to her stomach before answering. "We are traveling west, in search of its homeland. So that it may be returned to where it belongs."

"Not that I don't care about the specifics, but for now I'll just pretend to know what you're talking about for the sake of moving this conversation along. So, you are heading west and just happened to arrive here just before an attack?"

"Some may attribute such a development to bad luck. But perhaps it was divine intervention that brought us here in time to defend the inhabitants."

Maia shrugged. "Whatever sharpens your blade. Regardless, the town will need to be abandoned soon. It has suffered too much damage to withstand further assaults with what remains. Me and my troops will help with getting everyone back on their feet and burying the dead. Our plan is to escort the survivors back to Ken to take refuge for the time being."

"Wolf and I will help where we are needed. I hope you will allow us to accompany you on your trip back?"

"I don't see why not. Just don't push yourself too hard." the mercenary remarked as she glanced at Shirohime's bulging stomach.

"I appreciate your concern." Shirohime replied with a slight bow. "For now, I shall return to my duties."

Maia took a deep breath as she made her way back outside. "Gonna be a tough few days..."

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Sometimes, the Mercenary Queen despised the duties that came with her status as a leader. Not that she wasn't good at commanding her forces, hell, she was probably the best out of all her fellow Princess Knights. But there was one aspect of her job that she absolutely despised.

Paperwork.

Reports from her scouts, kill tallies, death notices, and supply requisition forms were just the start of her troubles. And strangely enough, whenever such mundane tasks reared their ugly heads, none of her fellow knights were anywhere to be seen.

"Crafty little punks. Let's see if they like having a month of latrine duty when we get back." the red-head muttered darkly as she finished signing her name on several forms.

Stifling a yawn as she leaned back in her chair, her gaze drifted to the darkness outside her command tent. Night had fallen a couple hours ago and thankfully the rain had stopped. This made it easier for them to setup torches throughout the village so everyone could keep working in the dark. They still had a lot of bodies to bury.

Opening up the lantern that was on her table, Maia blew out the flame before grabbing her gear and leaving. Exiting the tent, she bid a quick farewell to the person standing watch. Now it was time for her to get some well earned rest.

A flash of orange that wasn't from a fire suddenly caught her eye. She spotted Wolf sitting with his back against what remained of a wall from one of the houses that burned down. His weapons, a pair of katana's, were leaning on the wall next to him. His posture was lax, but he looked ready to spring into action at any moment. Even in the dark Maia could still make out the odd 'arm' that was in place of his left limb. He seemed to be fiddling with something in his hands, some sort of chisel?

"Is there something you need from me?" he asked without so much as turning to acknowledge her.

Maia wasn't sure when it happened, but she had unconsciously approached the man in her curiosity. Seeing as how she was already there, she figured it made sense to try and start up a conversation.

"Not exactly stranger." she responded with her usual roguish attitude. "Just taking a gander at that funny contraption you got there. Looks kinda dangerous."

His real hand drifted over to touch the fake arm as he glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. "Yes, it is." he replied in monotone.

"Mind if I ask where you got such a thing? It's like a completely functioning arm made from... well, I don't know exactly. But it ain't a real arm."

"It is a prosthetic." Wolf answered evenly. "I had lost my left arm in battle. Shortly after, a man dragged my unconscious body away and grafted the arm onto me in order to save my life."

The mercenary took a seat next to Wolf, only for the man to shift away slightly. "Well, that's a pretty nifty machine he built."

"He wasn't the one who made it."

Maia raised a brow at that statement. "Then who-"

"It is getting late. You should get some rest so you aren't tired tomorrow. There is much work to be done."

The red-head's lip twitched into a scowl for a moment at being so quickly dismissed.

"Oh yeah? And what of you?"

"My duty is to protect my master. Anything else is a secondary concern to me."

"Geez, you don't have to be so blunt about it." Maia opined with a roll of the eyes.

"My apologies." Wolf spoke as he pulled out a small chunk of wood that had been carved to vaguely resemble a person. The lack of detail showed he still had some ways to go in his work. "Conversation has never been my strong suit. I prefer to let my actions speak for themselves."

Maia let out a huff of amusement. "Well your actions are basically screaming 'Fuck you!' to the orcs."

"So it would seem." he responded as he began carving.

There was a brief silence between the two, only punctuated by the sound of metal scraping against wood.

"So... Shirohime says you two are heading west to find someplace. Any idea where it is exactly?"

"Shirohime?" he remarked in confusion. "Oh, you mean the girl. It is as she told you. We are traveling west in search of our destination. Though we know not the exact location."

"You're heading west without knowing where you're going? Doesn't that seem the least bit difficult to accomplish?"

Wolf shrugged slightly. "Head west is the only clue we have to go on to find our goal. I suppose we shall keep walking until we get there."

"You know, the libraries in the capital might be able to help you in that regard. The scholars there have accrued much knowledge over the years. Perhaps there is a book containing information on the place you seek."

"Hmm, your advice is appreciated. If time would allow it, then we shall stop by to see what we can find."

"If time will allow it? What, you gotta get there by a certain date?"

He shook his head. "This isn't the first war-torn land I've been through. I cannot put my masters life in danger by remaining near the battlefield."

"You make it sound as if the enemy has the capability of knocking down Ken's gates tomorrow. Trust me, the capital is the most heavily defended location in the land. Celestine Lucross herself has made sure of that."

"Arrogance has been the undoing of many a strong man. The monks of Senpou Temple believed themselves deserving of immortality. All they succeeded in doing was corrupting the minds and bodies of their followers."

Maia snorted in derision. "I don't know anything 'bout these monks or whatever, but Celestine is a Goddess incarnate. I'd like to see anything short of her rival be able to breach the city."

Wolf briefly glanced at Maia once more, giving her a look akin to that of disappointment. "Think what you will. But I will act on experience, rather than assumptions."

Figuring she wouldn't be getting anymore pertinent information out of Wolf for the night, she decided it was best to leave. But as she walked away, the man called out to her.

"Tell me girl,"

"Hnn?" she grunted as he looked over her shoulder at Wolf, who had finally turned his head fully to face her.

"if you put all of your faith in a single person, believe that they can do no wrong, and make no mistakes, then what would happen if they fail you?"

Maia wasn't sure what he was getting at, but it sounded like he was speaking from experience.

"It is unwise to dedicate your life to a single belief. Nobody is infallible."


	2. Chapter 2

"Chapter 2, whoop-dee-doo..."

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It took several days for them to arrive back at the capitol of Eostia. The trip back to Ken with the refugees from Mertle was an uneventful one. Not that the civilians were displeased with that. After what they'd been through, they were more than content with the calm ride as the caravan made its way across the land.

The survivors of the siege were led to the temporary campground they would have to inhabit until they could be fully integrated into the already large populace of the city. Among them were Wolf and Shirohime. Wolf had spent the entirety of the trip on guard in the event of an ambush from any enemies who might be laying in wait. Shirohime had argued that if there was any trouble, that Maia and her knights would be more than capable of defending the caravan, and that he should get some rest. Her opinion was respectfully accepted, and summarily ignored. They were in an unfamiliar land with unfamiliar people. He wasn't going to take the risk of relying on others to do his job for him.

But having finally reached the safe bastion that was the Fortress City Ken, the shinobi lowered his guard, if only slightly.

"What is our next move, Wolf?" the Divine Child asked as they took to the streets, having already given Maia's troops the slip.

The woman seemed intent on dragging him into something important, if the glint in her eyes was anything to go by. So as soon as the opportunity presented itself, the duo slipped away from the camp and entered the city proper. It wasn't like they intended to stay in the capitol for an extended period of time, so there was no need for them to be provided with a residence, temporary or not.

"Maia-san spoke of the libraries in the capitol as being excellent sources of knowledge. Perhaps some may even contain information pertaining to our search." he supplied evenly.

"Then that is where we shall go next."

"It would be in our best interest to search for the most prominent one, as it is likely that they will have the largest selection of books for us to read through."

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Maia ran her hands through her hair like mad in aggravation. She should have expected something like this to happen. Wolf was obviously a recluse to some degree, opting to maintain a low profile even after defending Mertle. Add in the fact that he was disinterested in anything that didn't concern his Master, and it made perfect sense that he and Shirohime would vanish from her sight at some point. And if he was as skilled as she thought he was, and he put actual effort into doing it, she had no doubts that the two of them would be able to evade her troops within the massive city.

It was extremely annoying for the Mercenary Queen, as Wolf's ability to escape a relatively well-guarded encampment with a pregnant girl in tow provided even more evidence that he was the perfect candidate for the upcoming mission. Maia was aware that Celestine was preparing for the endgame of this damned war. The famous mercenary group, the Black Dogs, had been chosen to spearhead the attack on Olga's citadel, and were due to set out in several days. Having fought alongside the warriors before, Maia could vouch for their incredible strength in combat. But there was one aspect they were lacking that would be invaluable to have during their raid; an infiltrator.

While the Black Dogs were ferocious in combat, subtlety wasn't exactly their strong-suit. Celestine was hoping to bring in a professional in stealth to go along and provide aid for Vault and his crew. Strangely enough, nobody answered her summons. Turns out that the assassins and thieves of Eostia weren't too keen on offering up their services at the risk of dying in the field, or being arrested by Celestine's 'guard dog' once the job was over. So Maia knew she struck gold when she came across Wolf. And as strange as it sounds, he was proving to be just as elusive as she hoped for.

Now if only she could locate the guy...

"Something on your mind Maia?"

Turning to the source of the soft voice, the mercenary was greeted by the sight of her fellow Princess Knight; Kaguya. The red-head closed her eyes for a moment and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Nothing, just trying to find the one person we need who doesn't want to be found."

Mulling over the answer, Kaguya snapped her fingers upon realization. "You found someone who could sneak into Olga's fortress?"

The woman nodded. "Yeah. The guy also defended the town of Mertle on his own for the most part. Lotta people still died, but he managed to kill every last orc, imp, and goblin that raided the place."

"Oh my! That sounds quite impressive!"

"Exactly. Which is why I'm going nuts trying to find the bastard!" Maia snapped with one of her occasional bursts of anger. "Mister 'my only duty is to protect my master' completely snubbed me before I could even get a chance to talk with him about the mission! I couldn't care less about this place they're trying to find right now, we're on the precipice of victory here!"

"What makes you think he's still in the city?"

Huffing in annoyance as she reeled in her temper, Maia relayed what she knew.

"So they wish to find their unknown destination, and might be visiting the libraries to search for any clues?" Kaguya summed up briefly.

"Pretty much."

"Then why don't you use that as a lure?"

"Hah?"

"The palace library is the largest in the city, even housing tomes that are unavailable anywhere else. And only those who are allowed on the grounds are permitted to access it."

The mercenary snapped to Kaguya so fast that it was a miracle she didn't get whiplash. Grasping the shrine maiden by the shoulders, Maia pulled her in for a quick hug. "Thank you Kaguya! You're a genius!"

Kaguya tittered in amusement at Maia's reaction. "It was nothing really..."

"Heh, heh! Now I just need to come up with a plan to use to my advantage~." the red-head muttered sinisterly as she stalked off down the hall.

Her fellow Princess Knight was now worried about the 'monster' she had set loose. "Oh dear..."

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Wolf closed yet another book and pushed it off to the side. It was the third day spent scouring the library in the hopes of finding information pertinent to their search. And while his training helped him to read much faster than the average person, it didn't make any difference if he couldn't find what he was looking for. Reaching over for the next book to read through, his hand grasped at nothing but air, as the current pile to read from was empty.

The immortal shinobi allowed himself a brief moment of respite before he continued his search. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a bundle of cloth and unwrapped it. Still slightly warm from being kept close to his body, the rice ball was more than enough to sustain a shinobi of his caliber for the next few hours.

Hearing the familiar footsteps of his companion coming near, Wolf finished his snack and turned to address her.

"Shirohime-san." he spoke in greeting. "Have you any news concerning our search?"

The girl maintained a soft smile even as she shook her head. "Unfortunately no." she replied. But then she reached into her robes and pulled out a piece of parchment. "However I believe that this is meant for you..."

Taking the parchment from her grasp, Wolf looked over its contents with a neutral expression. And then in a rare display of emotion, he let out a soft huff of amusement. "Even those who are bereft of sight could see through this ploy."

**Attention! We are in need of an individual who has exceptional skill in the arts of skulduggery or subterfuge. Should you accept our summons, you will be sent on a mission of great importance for the war effort. Included in your payment will be access to the Palace Library, which contains rare tomes that can't be found elsewhere in the city. Head to the palace and ask for Maia if you are interested.**

"It seems that she was quite impressed with your actions. And given the current state of turmoil that plagues this land, it is more than understandable that she wishes to employ you."

Wolf gave a brief nod of the head in agreement, and promptly crumpled the paper up.

"You don't wish to go?"

"No." he responded with his usual impassive tone. "Remaining by my Lord's side is all that matters. As such, I cannot allow myself to stray too far from you."

Shirohime sighed softly as she shook her head. "I understand your reservations about leaving me, but this is not an opportunity we can just let slip by."

He turned his head to face Shirohime and fixed her with a firm gaze. "While that may be true, it would be extremely foolish of me to leave you behind and place my trust in strangers to keep you safe." Wolf responded as he stood up and gathered up the books he already searched through, intent on returning them and acquiring new ones. "Tempting as the offer might be, we must simply ignore it."

"Wolf, I assure you that I, no, _we_ will be fine. With how far this city is from the front-lines, the enemy will never reach us before you return. And while you are gone, I shall begin my search of the library."

"The answer is still no." he spoke back without a moment of hesitation.

"... Know that your stubbornness may end up hindering Kuro-dono in the end." Shirohime opined after a moments thought.

Wolf paused in his steps.

"If you weren't open to alternative options, then we would not be here to begin with."

A silence reigned that seemed to last hours, but was actually just under a minute long.

"I will consider it..."

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Time was running out for Maia to locate Wolf. The eve of the mission to assault the Dark Fortress was almost upon them, and it had already been just over a week since she sent out that missive to lure the man in. While not necessary for ensuring the success of the plan, it would still be ideal to have a little insurance. But at this point Maia was simply trying to find the elusive shinobi out of sheer stubbornness to prove that she could do it.

"And exactly how certain were you when you said he would come?"

Unconsciously tapping her foot against the ground as a nervous tic, Maia shifted her head to face the other woman in the room with her. "More than I currently am." the mercenary responded with an aggravated sigh.

Alicia scoffed as she used her hand to flip her hair out of her eyes. "Regardless of their skill, we have no use for a mercenary who can't even answer a summons on time."

"I wouldn't exactly call him a mercenary. He made it quite clear that he had a Master to which he swore loyalty to. Now that I think about it, there's no way he would show up without this 'Lord Kuro's' go ahead."

"That shouldn't matter." the blonde opined firmly. "This is for the good of the nation. If he has any sense of morals, then he should have come running to serve her majesty."

If there was one thing about Alicia that got on Maia's nerves, it was her lack of accepting anything other than perfection. She is a stickler to the rules, and the length of the stick up her ass is only rivaled by the one that Claudia has shoved up her rear-end 24/7. Maybe if she could ply her fellow Princess Knights with a few rounds of beer, they'd be loose enough for her to yank out those sticks.

Maia smirked and held back a chuckle at the thought of both women passed out drunk with their posteriors in the air.

"Do you find something amusing about the situation?" Alicia asked in slight annoyance.

"Nah, just thought up a new drinking game is all."

The blonde woman sighed in exasperation. "Of course you would..."

As the duo passed the time by discussing recent battles and tactics, Maia's head snapped to the door the moment she heard it creak open, and in walked one of the Palace guards.

"Lady Maia, two individuals who fit the description of the people you told us to be on the lookout for have approached. The man says he is willing to hear you out."

Maia was equal parts excited as she was relieved. The guy had finally shown up. "You may bring in our guests and escort them to the throne room. I will ensure that Celestine is ready to greet them."

Giving a quick salute, the man hurried off to fulfill his duty.

"Time to welcome the wolf~." Maia remarked with a smirk.

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His first impression of the Palace was better than he thought it was going to be. While the walls that surrounded it lacked any form of defense to prevent enemies from scaling them, it was made up for by the employment of archers on the walkways. They were also constructed entirely from stone, making them far sturdier. However the analytical part of his mind noted several weaknesses. If too heavily damaged, the walls were susceptible to collapsing under their own weight. He also spotted a few blind-spots in the guards patrols that a master shinobi like himself could exploit. But without knowing what to expect once he scaled the walls, it would be far too risky to go in without prior planning. As they entered the Palace grounds, he spotted a veranda that overlooked the courtyard. No doubt it was where her highness would stand when she addressed the public.

The forces defending the Palace were rather... colorful, if he was to put it kindly. There were plenty of knights in light or heavy armor, mainly armed with straight swords and often accompanied by a metal shield, but there were also men clad entirely in metal who remained completely still, almost as if they were statues. They very much resembled the man he fought during his ascent of Mount Kongou.

But then he spotted _them_...

He wasn't quite sure if it was a cultural thing or not, but the majority of the female soldiers seemed to be wearing as little armor as possible. Had he not already been desensitized to damn near everything, he was sure that this 'culture-shock' would have gotten some form of a reaction from him. But no, he just remained as impassive as ever. The same could not be said for Shirohime though, as the poor girl was blushing mildly as she tried to look anywhere other than at the scantily clad women.

Choosing to don simple cloth over actual armor wasn't anything he was unfamiliar with. It wasn't entirely uncommon to encounter upstart ronin who still lacked the funds to obtain proper protection, alongside those rare cases where a samurai is skilled enough that they forgo armor for the sake of faster movement. But with the way some of these women were dressed, it was hard to believe they weren't cold from the exposure.

It was a good thing he decided to conceal his prosthetic under a shawl, otherwise he would stand out the most.

As they were escorted further and entered the castle, Wolf was already mapping out the building in his head in the event they needed to make a sudden escape. He hoped things wouldn't come to that, but such sentiments were worthless in the long run.

After walking up a couple flights of stairs and down a long corridor, he spotted a large door at the end where two women were waiting for them. The first he instantly recognized as Maia, but it took a moment for him to deduce who the second was. Seeing as how she looked to be of the same standing as Maia, that meant she was a Princess Knight. And the only blonde one besides the Queen was Alicia.

Whereas Maia grinned like she was the cat that got the cream, Alicia stared at him with a scrutinizing gaze. She noticed him return the stare and promptly huffed and turned her gaze away.

"Well, well~." Maia spoke up as they arrived at the throne room door. "How nice of you to finally join us. I was getting worried that you'd stand me up." finishing her remark with a cutesy wink, the red-head was disappointed when Wolf merely responded with a grunt.

"My apologies." Shirohime replied in his stead. "It took some convincing to bring him here."

Maia sent a side-long glance at Wolf that screamed of incredulity. "Big surprise there..."

Alicia non-discreetly coughed into her hand to grab their attention. "Maia, I believe we have a schedule to adhere to. Now isn't exactly the best time for small-talk."

Scratching the back of her head with a sigh of annoyance, Maia quickly relented. "Sure, sure... Let's got on with this, yeah?"

With a loud creak, the door to the throne room opened up to allow entrance. It was a large open room that was lightly decorated with flowers, decorative vines, and banners bearing the mark of the kingdom. Tall windows were open, causing a soft breeze to blow through the hall, as well as light up its entirety. And sitting upon the throne was the Queen who ruled the land, Celestine Lucross.

Despite the softness of her features, he could tell from the way she held herself that she was no pushover. After all, from what he had heard she was the only one whose power could match that of the Dark Queen herself. The potential collateral damage was the only thing that stopped the two from taking to the battlefield. That and the fact that they were political rulers of the highest order. Isshin may have charged into combat alongside his comrades, but that was due to his skill as a general and a warrior. Unlike Japan, Eostia was fundamentally different, and as such the rulers were needed alive in order to run the land.

Wolf noted how the brunette who stood at attention next to Celestine had fixed a stern glare in his direction. If his assumptions were correct, then that would make her Celestine's right-hand, Claudia Levantine. He had to give the woman some credit. It was an appropriate, if overly expressed reaction for her to have when an unknown is in the presence of her liege.

Maia made her way towards Celestine and gave a somewhat lackadaisical bow, only getting away with such rudeness due to her close friendship with the high-elf. "Celestine, Claudia, nice to see you two again!" she greeted with a wide grin. "I hope that my companions can help make up for my tardiness."

Celestine regarded Shirohime with a brief gaze before shifting her full attention to Wolf. Which made sense considering he was the person they actually wished to meet. "You must be the one known as Wolf." she stated politely.

Giving a slight bow of the head, if only out of courtesy to someone of her standing, Wolf affirmed her assumptions. "I am."

"Maia has told me of your exploits, however few they may be. Taking on an entire orc war-band nearly on your own, skilled enough to escape the refugee camp and evade our patrols with ease even with a companion in tow, and just from the way you carry yourself I can tell you are a man of great capability."

Choosing to not confirm or deny her claims, Wolf remained silent, and only grunted in response.

"You will speak when spoken to, cur!" Claudia barked from her position next to Celestine.

The Queen held up her hand to settle her friend down. "At ease Claudia. Our guests are entitled to choose when to speak. We are the ones who requested them to come, after all." Celestine opined with a kind tone. "My apologies for summoning you in such a way, but I would like to request for your aid in an upcoming mission."

"What is it that you wish to ask of me?"

Celestine's eyes turned downcast for a moment, seemingly thinking back on something from her past. But then she straightened up and firmed her gaze. "The war that has plagued my land has gone on for far too long. Countless innocents have suffered as a result of this tragedy, and I wish to bring it to an end. Now."

"In two days time we shall begin the mission to storm the Dark Fortress and put a stop to all this violence. The mission will be carried out by the Black Dogs, the strongest mercenary group in all the lands. I have no doubt that they will emerge from the fight victorious, but I wish to provide them with support in the one field the are severely lacking in; stealth."

Wolf could already tell where Celestine was going with this. "You wish to employ my services in assassinating Olga Discordia." he stated plainly.

"No!" the Queen responded quickly. A bit too quickly in Wolf's opinion. "I-I mean, no. I wish to bring about a peaceful end to this war. And to reach such a conclusion, I must meet with her in person."

From the look Wolf was giving her, Celestine knew he was somewhat skeptical of her request, but she pushed on nonetheless.

"I ask of you Wolf, return to me with Olga Discordia, and I shall grant you a reward befitting of such a feat."

The throne room was dead silent as Celestine finished her request. No one seemed to move let alone speak, and Wolf's face remained as impassive as always. Time passed by agonizingly slowly, until Shirohime looked up at the shinobi. Despite how long they have traveled together, she could never see passed his mask of indifference.

Finally he glanced in her direction, a certain something reflecting in his eyes that she didn't recognize.

He had made his decision.


End file.
